Love
Love - or more accurately blind love - animated the actions (and mistakes in particular) of both Armand and Desiree. It is difficult to say who suffered more: Desiree, who wanted Armand so much, would have rather died (and presumably did after walking into the wilderness) than return to her parents. On the other hand, Armand's love led him to hastily marry Desiree without confirming that she was not part black - or at least consider that possibility. Had he definitely known she was of pure white blood, he might have considered his own past, and the fact he himself was of mixed blood. Armand would not have lost his name, his wife, and child the way he did.
